Pet Food Fiction at Ohio State Veterinary School – Truth about Pet Food

Ohio State University Veterinary School website has a VERY misleading post titled “Myths and Misconceptions Surrounding Pet Foods“. Interestingly (but not surprising), just under the title readers will see “Important Information from Purina Veterinary Diets” which is actually a link to a Purina webpage that basically states the same misinformation as what is stated on the Ohio State Vet School website.

The fiction from Ohio State:

#1. “Like grain-free diets, there is no scientific evidence that feeding a raw vs. a conventional diet is any more beneficial to an animal’s health. However there is ample evidence that it is not. Moreover, these diets also have generated controversy due to their increased risk for microbial contamination.“

False.

The accurate information is kibble diets (conventional diets) have a significantly increased risk for microbial contamination, not raw diets. Based on FDA data (Enforcement Reports) of recalled pet foods since 2012….

More than 159 million pounds of kibble pet food has been recalled for microbial contamination.

As compared to:

1.5 million pounds of raw pet food has been recalled for microbial contamination.

#2. Ohio State Vet School tells readers a rendered ingredient is “better than” fresh meat. Quoting: “Many people have been led to believe that whole meat is better than meat meal, just based on the name. This is simply not true.“

False. Their “simply not true” is absolutely true.

All meat meal ingredients are feed grade, some pet food meat ingredients are feed grade – some are human grade. Human grade ingredients are far superior to feed grade because they are legally ‘edible’. Feed grade ingredients are directly allowed by FDA to be ‘inedible’ – sourced from diseased animals and animals that died other than by slaughter (Source “Final Response Letter from FDA CVM to Association for Truth in Pet Food” https://www.regulations.gov/docket?D=FDA-2016-P-3578).

#3. Ohio State Veterinary School praises corn as a wonderful source of nutrition.

Misleading because they neglect to mention the risks.

The Vet School website states: “corn provides a nutritious, affordable source of carbohydrate for energy, essential amino and fatty acids for healthy skin, coat and immune system function, and a variety of other nutrients.”

Yes, corn does provide nutrients to the diet – but corn in pet food also comes with significant risks. In 2020, 94% of all recalled pet foods (based on pounds) was for aflatoxin contaminated corn. More than 130 dogs died in 2021 due to aflatoxin contaminated corn in dog food.

Did Ohio State Veterinary School put their reputation at risk by allowing Purina to speak for them on their website? Was this pet food fiction actually written by Purina or is this veterinary school actually VERY uneducated about pet food?

Personal opinion: Ohio State Veterinary School should be embarrassed that they themselves are contributing to pet food myths.

My thanks to the pet owner that shared this Ohio State fiction with me.

Wishing you and your pet the best –

Susan Thixton
Pet Food Safety Advocate
TruthaboutPetFood.com
Association for Truth in Pet Food

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